‘Why here?’ India activists demand moratorium as Google’s AI hub scars land and sparks water fears

A data centre is a large facility packed with computer servers. These machines store and process digital information and power apps, online services and AI tools. The buildings need reliable electricity, cooling systems and fast internet connections. That makes their location strategically important.

Google is building its largest data centre outside the United States on a 600-acre site in Visakhapatnam. The project is part of India’s push to become a major technology hub. Visakhapatnam is also a landing point for submarine cables linking India to Singapore, giving the facility strong international connectivity.

The project matters because India generates nearly a fifth of the world’s digital data but has only about three percent of global data-centre capacity. Google expects local economic activity and jobs, while residents worry about water, power, land loss and environmental damage. The hub is planned to become operational in 2028.

Google’s planned AI data centre will occupy 600 acres in Visakhapatnam. That is described as more than 340 football pitches. The company is investing US$15 billion, making the project one of the biggest technology developments in the region and its largest data centre outside the United States.

Google says construction will support about 4,200 jobs. Once the facility becomes operational in 2028, it expects hundreds of specialist jobs. These figures describe Google’s own project, rather than every technology investment planned for Vizag. The Andhra Pradesh government gives a much larger estimate of 188,000 direct and indirect jobs across its development plans.

The numbers explain why officials promote the facility as an economic opportunity. They also fuel debate about whether a large, capital-intensive site will create enough broad employment. Residents and activists want benefits to reach local communities, not remain limited to specialist technical work and construction.

Visakhapatnam is attractive because it already connects India to international internet infrastructure. Submarine cables linking India to Singapore come ashore there. Fast, dependable connectivity is essential for a facility handling enormous volumes of digital information and supporting AI services. The location also fits India’s ambition to build a major technology hub.

Google’s 600-acre site is being developed near a port city on India’s southeast coast. The project is part of a wider transformation planned for Vizag, where several large technology facilities are proposed. Another joint venture involving Reliance Industries, Brookfield and Digital Realty is investing US$11 billion in an AI data centre there.

The advantages come with local costs. Clearing has begun on forest and farmland, and residents fear pressure on water and electricity. The state plans six 1.2-gigawatt nuclear power plants as demand rises. Activists are calling for independent environmental and social evaluations before more sites are approved.

The project is being built on land that includes forest and farmland on Visakhapatnam’s southeast coast. Excavators have already cleared areas, leaving visible scars where crops and trees once stood. The site covers 600 acres, and local residents fear that development will damage the environment and disrupt their lives.

Farmer Chandala Sadamma said her two-acre plot contained mango and cashew trees. She received more than US$82,000 for the land, but said the process felt disrespectful. The Andhra Pradesh government told AFP that affected people are also receiving new housing. Homes are being built and handed over to residents who lived on the site.

Compensation does not end the dispute. Activists want independent environmental and social impact evaluations, plus a moratorium on new data centres across the state. Land prices have risen by more than 45 percent since Vizag announced its development plans, adding another layer to the change.

Large data centres consume substantial resources because servers run continuously and produce heat. Cooling them requires technology and energy, while operating many facilities increases demand on the electricity grid. Building sites can also remove vegetation and farmland. These pressures matter especially in Vizag, where residents already report water scarcity.

Google says its hub will use advanced air cooling instead of the water-based cooling often criticised elsewhere. Even so, shopkeeper Gubbala Ramanamma described a dry well and said people are already struggling for water. The state plans six 1.2-gigawatt nuclear power plants as energy demand rises, showing the scale of expected growth.

If several sites proceed, water supplies, electricity infrastructure and the surrounding environment could face greater strain. The government says residents’ water needs will come first. Activists want independent environmental and social impact studies, while a former senior official has called for an independent water audit.

Data centres require huge investments in buildings, servers, power systems and networks. Their economic output can therefore be large without employing large numbers of people once construction ends. This is why activists question whether the promised benefits will reach ordinary residents across Vizag.

Google forecasts about 4,200 construction jobs and hundreds of specialist jobs after the facility opens in 2028. Gutta Rohith of the Human Rights Forum argues that these opportunities may not match local needs. He says Vizag needs mass employment and labour-intensive industries, rather than high-capital industries built around warehouses and advanced equipment.

The Andhra Pradesh government expects 188,000 direct and indirect jobs from its wider development programme. That figure includes more than Google’s single facility. The debate will continue as projects progress: officials highlight investment and technology, while activists ask whether local workers can access enough lasting employment.

AI systems handle large amounts of data and complex calculations. They therefore run on powerful computer servers, often working together inside data centres. The servers support AI tools and apps, but continuous operation creates heat and demands steady electricity. Fast networks are also needed to move data between users, servers and other systems.

The Visakhapatnam project illustrates this chain. Google is planning a 600-acre facility, while submarine cables linking India to Singapore provide international connectivity. Google says it will use advanced air cooling. The state is planning six 1.2-gigawatt nuclear power plants as electricity demand increases across the region.

This infrastructure enables India’s digital ambitions, but it also creates local concerns. India produces nearly a fifth of the world’s digital data while holding about three percent of data-centre capacity. Expanding that capacity could support AI growth, yet it may intensify disputes over water, power, land and environmental safeguards.